Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Will Levis v Anthony Richardson, Colts Awful Defense & Winning the Turnover Battle

Episode Date: October 9, 2024

The Tennessee Titans face their first divisional game of the season on Sunday when they host the Indianapolis Colts. Both teams have seen disappointing starts for their young quarterbacks which begs the question of what each team should do at the position in a must-win game. The Colts have seen success with Joe Flacco, but the defense has been so bad it hasn't brought two wins. The Titans finally got a win with Mason Rudolph, but the ceiling of the team is limited with the backup. Tyler and Zach Hicks from Locked on Colts discuss all of that in today's Crossover Thursday and predict their keys to victory in this matchup.Subscribe to the TicTacTitans Film Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@TicTacTitansTicTacTitans Merchandise: https://dixons-dream.square.site/shop/tictactitans-gear/C3AAPNWXSXA6SBYG3USV2I7R?page=1&limit=30&sort_by=category_order&sort_order=ascFollow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitansFollow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPodSubscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitans/videosSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Hillsdale CollegeAll of Hillsdale’s courses are self-paced so that you can start whenever, and tune in wherever. Plus, you can go deeper with readings, quizzes, discussions - or just enjoy the lectures. Go right now to hillsdale.edu/lockedon to enroll. There’s no cost, and it’s easy to get started. ZbioticsGo to zbiotics.com/LOCKEDONNFL to learn more and get 15% off your first order when you use LOCKEDONNFL at checkout.PrizePicksDownload the app or click HERE and use code lockedonnfl to win $50 instantly when you play $5. You don't even need to win to receive your $50 bonus, it's guaranteed! Prizepicks. Run Your Game.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms Apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelPlace your first FIVE DOLLAR bet and you’ll get started with TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in BONUS BETS - guaranteed ! Visit FANDUEL.COM to get started.LinkedInLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNFL. Terms and conditions apply.BetterHelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDON today to get 10% off your first month.RobinhoodThe new gold standard is here with Robinhood Gold. Sign up at robinhood.com/gold Terms apply, for product specific disclosures visit robinhood.com/gold. Investing involves risk. Rate may change. Gold membership is offered by Robinhood Gold, LLC.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

The Tennessee Titans host the Indianapolis Colts this weekend, and the question for both teams is, will the young quarterback play, and should they? That and more on today's edition of Crossover Thursday. You are locked on NFL Crossover, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your team, every day. Football fans, welcome in to a week six Crossover Thursday. Locked on Titans, locked on Colts. A divisional matchup lies ahead.

Before we get into it, do want to let you know that today's crossover Thursday is presented by PrizePix. Download the app. Use the code LOCKEDONNFL to win $50 instantly when you play $5. Thank you for making Locked on Titans and Locked on Colts your first listen each and every day. Make sure that you get subscribed. Stay subscribed. I am the host of Locked on Titans, Tyler Rowland, here with one of the hosts of Locked On Colts, Zach Hicks. We're going to be looking at the biggest storylines in this game, talking about both the young quarterbacks and whether they should even play

if they are healthy. Get to some keys to victory in this matchup, what we think will decide it. Again, it's part of the Locked On Podcast Network. It's your team every day. But, Zach, you guys are the road team in this one. The Indianapolis Colts travel to Nashville to take on the Titans. And I know I say this to you knowing that I am going to get the same exact question back to me. I know Anthony Richardson has maybe had some more positive moments than Will Levis this

year. That throw in week one was insane. And, you know, he's had his moments, but a little bit banged up and you look a little deeper. He hasn't really played very well this year either. So the question is twofold. Will Anthony Richardson play in this game, do you think? And should he play over Joe Flacco, who lost last week, but definitely looks like the better quarterback at this time? Yeah, I think that's the question that everyone in Indianapolis is asking right now. And maybe a lot of people around the league, especially fantasy analysts. I know the fantasy analysts

all want Joe Flacco out there because it gets the receivers the ball a little bit more. But I think, I mean, the question is twofold. So the first part of this is I do think it's more 50-50, maybe a little bit more optimistic that Richardson does play this week. So we'll have to see how the practices go this week compared to last week. Last week, he only got individual drills in. He didn't get any team sessions in. And a lot of what the Colts have been saying is we don't want this kid limited in any way out there. So with the hip injury, I mean, if you guys know anything about quarterback mechanics, everything comes from the hip. The hips are everything when it comes to throwing the football, when it comes to running

the football too. I mean, it's hard to run the football when you're a quarterback like Anthony Richardson, if you have injury into your hips. So they want him to just be clean, good to go, and not limited in any way, because there have been some struggles this year. And the last thing you want to do is throw a kid out there who's struggling when they're banged up and have, you know, an injury compiled on top of them learning, you know, and stuff like that. So I totally understand why the Colts are being a little safe with it. Maybe they're being a little too safe, but this is your franchise guy. This is your guy you're committed to long term, or at least in the next couple of years. So obviously you want to take that time with him, make sure he's okay. couple years so obviously you want to take that time with him make sure he's okay now when we get to the other conversation should Joe Flacco start over Anthony Richardson right absolutely not absolutely not like here's the way I put it on social media the other day when I was talking with people the Colts getting to maybe eight nine heaven forbid ten wins you know with Joe Flacco oh gosh and we can earn that opportunity of seeing Josh Allen break

playoff records against us with touchdown passes he throws in the first quarter uh in the first round of the playoffs because of how bad this Colts defense is like even if Flacco gets you into the playoffs you're not winning anything even in the down year for the AFC right now Flacco's not carrying you to a Super Bowl maybe he does but no no he's not carrying you to Super Bowl right especially with this defense he's not carrying this to the Super Bowl. Maybe he does, but no, no, he's not carrying you to Super Bowl, right? Especially with this defense. He's not carrying this to the Super Bowl. So with that out of the way, you don't have a complete like win now roster, head coach, GM, like you don't have that right now. You have a process going and it's much more important to get more data points on this quarterback you took in the top five than it is to win a couple more games in 2024. You know,

I know we all have the instant gratification. Preach! Right, right. And you're going to say the same thing about your situation. But like, we all have the instant gratification of getting more wins right now. And if I told you, if I told you right now, like, would you rather have your team win nine games or six games? You would say, oh yeah, I'd rather have them win nine.

But that comes at the expense of seeing what you have at quarterback in a league where look around at all the best quarterbacks right now in the league. All these guys who I've given up on too early, you know, and I'm not saying that these kids that we're talking about, Levis and Richardson, are going to be that because obviously these are exceptions to the rule.

But maybe, just maybe, get more data points on these guys, get more playing time for them, and see what they can be. So one of the few times that the Colts and Titans are going to be in lockstep here, I think we're in full agreement where it's like, look, the difference between six and nine wins in 2024 is not as important as figuring out what we have at quarterback. So whether it's Will Levis, Anthony Richardson, whoever, those are the guys for our team, So whether it's Will Levis, Anthony Richardson, whoever, those are the guys for our team,

even more so for Indy because Indy's quarterback is 22 in Richardson. He's 22, has not played a lot of football since high school. He needs reps on the field. Yeah, he needs reps on the field. He needs, he just needs to get the playing time. So you're committed to him for the rest of this year as your starter, next year as your starter. And then you probably evaluate after that when he's 23, 24 and what you have there. Titans, I guess you have a little bit more leeway because it was a second round pick.

It wasn't top five pick. You know, he's a little bit older, but it's still the same thing. Like, it's so important to hit on a young quarterback. You give these kids as much leeway as possible, even if it costs you a couple wins right now. So, yeah, Joe Flacco playing great ball. Like I want to give a shout out to Joe Flacco had some fun times in that fourth quarter last week. But at the end of the day, man, it's so much more important to get your data points on your young quarterback, then, oh, let's commit to winning now with this 40 year old like what is a 40 year old Flacco getting me by next year, he might be sitting at home next year.

Yeah, like, if I want to see what Flacco would give me, I have 2020 Colts, 2021 Colts, 2022 Colts. I have seen this movie, you know, I don't, you know how it ends. Yeah. Commit to the young kid. I'm sure you're the same way with the Titans. Yeah. 100%. And we'll talk about that. Of course, when we talk Titans now, Zach, I have to tell you, I think part of that was you have strong thoughts on what to do at quarterback, but I think part of what just happened was you don't want to talk about this Colts defense so I'm going to give you one minute one minute tell us your thoughts on this Colts defense ah man um you know to be somewhat optimistic let me just start optimistically here you know we got

I'm not from the Midwest but we got that Midwestern like hospitality, like niceness to us and stuff. So we're going to talk about it. They are really banged up right now. Like really banged up. Missing DeForest Buckner, Quiddie Paye, Samson Ebukam, Kenny Moore has not played. Juju Brents is out for most of the season. Taequann Lewis is out right now.

Like there's a lot of banged up players and a lot of players that are getting most of the money on this defense. So to a degree, some of it's excusable, but getting the doors blown off you by Jacksonville. I mean, it's in Jacksonville. It's the curse game, but by Jacksonville, it's just an inexcusable performance. And it's something where it wasn't just like, oh, Gus Bradley sucks. Once we change the scheme, this is all perfect. They were missing a lot of tackles. They were not passing off routes that need to be passed off. Like just bringing in a new defensive coordinator doesn't all of a sudden make everyone tackle better. Doesn't all of a

sudden make guys actually do their cover three drop on a Brian Thomas fade when they should have just been in their cover three zone. Like, I don't know why he was biting on a, on a curl route, you know, like it's stuff like that. So you have a bland scheme that doesn't disguise stuff and a scheme that preaches execution and a lot of players who aren't executing right now. And the result is the 30 second ranked defense in pretty much every single category. Like this is one of the worst defenses I've seen in Indy. And it's not been good the last three years. But this is like a new low for this defense right now. And it's a troubling sign when you're saying that multiple times,

five games into a season, where it's like, oh, this is the new low, but it can't get much worse. Oh, no, no, this is the new low. You know, week two against the Packers, they ran for 200 yards at halftime with Malik Willis at quarterback when everyone back when everyone was out on Malik Willis obviously I know he had a couple good games after that uh but like but like that you know like that was the new low now it's this game is every week just going to be a new low is every week the quarterbacks break out game when they play against the Col, like it's that bad on the Colts defense right now. So if Will Levis comes out here looking like your guys franchise savior after this week,

I'm not going to even take a shot at Levis here. Cause I think people are kind of being a little too harsh on him, but like a lot of that might just be the Colts defense. Cause they're that bad right now. Yeah. It's definitely a possibility. I'm sure Titans fans are hearing that and hoping that Levis is able to have a bounce back, but we're going to talk a little bit of Will Levis. We're going to talk about what we think our keys to victory are going to be on both sides. Before we do that, though, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by Z Biotics. All right, guys.

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It's a week six Crossover Thursday. Titans, Colts, we talked about the Colts now. We will hit the Titans. And, Zach, before you ask any questions, I'm just going to give my quick answer to the quarterback situation because we know that's where it starts. And I feel like you just read my mind a second ago. Your answer on Anthony Richardson is what I have been telling

my own audience for weeks now. And everybody gets mad at me in the comments because everybody loves the short-term gratification of winning and going on social media and talking crap to other fans. I want to see my team win. I don't care what it means, blah, blah, blah. That is not the way you build a franchise. That's not how you build a sustainable Super Bowl contender.

You have to figure out what you have in your young quarterback, even if it means sacrificing a couple wins. Because at the end of the day, what is the ceiling of a team led by Mason Rudolph? What is the ceiling of a team led by 40-year-old Joe Flacco? Now, Zach, this may blow your mind, but half of my comment section will tell you that Mason Rudolph can win a Super Bowl, that Mason Rudolph is a top 15 starter in the NFL.

They will tell you that down in the crazy comment section, but that is insanity, all right? Mason Rudolph ain't winning a Super Bowl ever in his life. He's not a starting quarterback. He's a good backup. He's a good backup. And I think Flacco, Flacco is like a good low-end starter. You know what I mean?

Like he could be like, you know, 18 to 26 or maybe even on good days, he's 15 or 14 or whatever. But like, what are we doing here? You know, the future is far more important than the couple of wins that you may get from going with the more experienced quarterback. And now, the thing with Levis is, I admit, he's 25. Anthony Richardson is 22 and is not experienced. Levis played two full years of college ball, got half of a season last year,

and is 25 years old. And everybody goes, oh, it's not about age. It's about experience. No, it's science. Your frontal lobe, development time, males, our ability to learn and change. It changes when you're 25 compared to 22. It is science, not football. All right, science deniers out there. Anyways, all jokes aside, Right? Science deniers out there. Anyways, all jokes aside, if Will Levis is healthy, and Brian Callahan said,

if he practices, he's going to play. Because it's an AC sprain, and it's not going to get worse. It's just pain management. Will Levis has proven he is a tough guy. He is going to play through pain. You got to give him his credit there. You know, as the song says, though, if you're going to be dumb, you got to be tough. So good for Will Levis. But at the end of the day,

Levis needs to play over Mason Rudolph. And I think turning it to this matchup specifically, the Colts can be attacked downfield. Like that is where you can attack this defense is down the field. And if they know that it's going to be Mason Rudolph and they don't got to worry as much about the deep throw because Rudolph doesn't have the arm strength that Levis does, I think it makes it easier on a bad defense in Indianapolis. So if Levis is able, Levis must play, not only for the long-term discussion, but also for this matchup and what you can do to take advantage of Indianapolis defenses.

So you said it. I said it. Everybody listen to what we're saying for a second. Get your brain out of the microwave for a moment and put it in the oven. We're taking our time with this one. Put it in the crock pot. Brain's in the crock pot, not in the microwave. With that being said, next question.

You're on mute, my man. Listen, I know that you were sad about talking Colts defense. I get it. I was letting you go. I was letting you go. I was like, I don't want to make any noises while he's going here. That's why I'm the madman. Right, right.

I will say, though, we said the Colts defense can be beat deep. They can also be beat short. So maybe Mason Rudolph is the way to get. They could be intermediate, too. They could get beat in the run game. Like, there's a lot of ways here with the Colts defense. I will say, you know, again, just one last comment on this quarterback thing.

It might be time to give up on Levis if you can't throw for like 350 in this game though, because like anyone can against this Colts defense right now. I just want him to not make a stupid turnover that turns into a meme this week. That's all I ask. All I want is you guys to do that because that's the only way this defense gets off the field besides allowing a touchdown but we'll go

away from the colts defense for a second we'll go away from the weaknesses of our off of our teams right now and let's go to the strength the fun parts of our teams the colts offense titans defense very fun aspects of our teams like the only fun aspects of our teams right now uh the colts offense has shown to have been really explosive this year regardless whoever's core i think they're number one in explosive play percentage like 13 of their offensive plays go for explosives but the tennessee titans defense this year you guys are kind of showing that it's it's okay to buy a defense like you just went out and bought a defense this off see i know they spend some draft picks on their tavandre sweat your boy you going to get a couple jerseys of him here pretty soon.

But this defense, a lot of bought guys. They went out to free agency, traded for some guys, and the defense turned around. Now, I do think the Colts, to some degree, are going to be their toughest challenge of the season so far. Yes. Especially when you look at Miami's backup quarterback, Green Bay's backup quarterback and stuff like that. First week of Caleb Williams. Right. Yeah.

The Rodgers experience in New York with Nathaniel Hackett. Yeah. It's not been a lot of banner offenses. Right. So I'm curious, though, just talking about the Titans defense, just for Colts fans listening to has this Titans defense kind of really turned it around? Or do you think it's more so the bad quarterbacks they've played? Because from what I've seen, it seems like seems like again even though buying a defense like it seems like these

guys are coming together they're on that side of the ball i'm gonna be honest with you zach and titans fans aren't gonna like it i think this defense is more middle of the road than what it looks the problem is pass rush the titans have forced one turnover all year. That's not, you can't be the top defense in the NFL and not be a turnover forcing defense. It's just not going to happen. They've played bad offenses that have made it easy on them. And the reality here is it's the pass rush's fault. They don't have a pass rush.

The Titans are one of the worst pass rushes in the NFL. Jeffrey Simmons has had a very disappointing start to the year, and now he's got an elbow injury, and he's going to be able to play through it. It's like you would get Tommy John on your elbow if you had this as a baseball player. But because you're a football player, you just need to rest for a week, and then you can play. It's so crazy how the different sports require different things,

and it changes things. But at the end of the day, think about your elbow. Jeffrey Simmons is one of the strongest human beings, maybe on earth. I mean, like the way he's able to use his hands and push people off and keep that leverage on offensive linemen to shed them. If he's got to make a play in the run or, you know, push with one hand and a strong arm and get to the quarterback. Like you wonder, is he, has he been affected by that? Is he going to be affected by that? When he comes back this week? He said, I'm playing in this game.

He had a rest day on Wednesday like he normally does at practice, so I don't think that's anything to change our mind or make us think one way or the other. But at the end of the day, Harold Landry has four sacks, but I broke down all four sacks on film on my Tic Tac Titans film channel, and they are cleanup sacks, coverage sacks. It's not Harold Landry winning one-on-one with a swipe club. Harold Landry doesn't win in the pass rush like Sweat does.

Sweat wins with moves. He's putting moves on your interior offensive lineman and getting to the quarterback. Landry is, I don't want to discourage or downplay for sacks. Part of football is playing with effort and playing to the whistle and playing longer and stronger than the guy across from you. It doesn't have to be beautiful to work, you know, but it reminds me of Bud Dupree when the Titan signed. Bud Dupree was a classic effort and cleanup sack guy. Coverage sacks, he would just continue to work. And Landry has a little more

bend and a little more flash than a guy like Bud Dupree, but he's not Miles Garrett and Nick Bosa. He's not winning like that. And then the opposite edge, Arden Key is just a backup edge rusher, and he has to be a starter for the Titans. And Sweat, at the end of the day, is a rookie. He's not getting consistent pass rush all the time. He's been better in the run game. Good in pass rush, but not as good.

And with a banged-up Simmons, they haven't been blitzing as much as I thought that they would. He's been better in the run game. Good in pass rush, but not as good. And with a banged up Simmons, you know, they haven't been blitzing as much as I thought that they would. Maybe that's something they need to do with Flacco plays in particular. But the pass rush hasn't been good enough. And when the pass rush isn't good enough, you don't force turnovers. And when you don't force turnovers, you can't be a great defense. So I think the Titans defense is good.

I don't think it's great like it looks right now, but you know, we will see. Yeah. I mean, look big test for them this week. Cause again, regardless of who starts for the Colts and yes, the Colts have some injuries on offense. Taylor might be out. They might be down two to three offensive linemen as well. Offensive lines banged up. Yeah. But even the backups and playing really good football for the Colts and the offensive line and the receiver receiver core, I know a couple guys are missing practice today, so we'll see if they finish the week. But Alec Pierce looks like the best deep threat in football right now. Josh Downs playing really well underneath. Michael Pittman Jr. has been a little slow off to a slow start this year, but playing some decent football.

It's a good test for this Titans defense. And for kind of everything you're saying here, it's like a good test to see kind of where they're at in terms of it are they middle of the road or can they you know surpass these issues in the pass rush game and still be like a top 10 defense yeah it's good it's a big test for Denard Wilson who has been incredibly exotic and I've really enjoyed watching the film of Denard Wilson's defense so far this year. But we're going to get into some of these matchups, talk our keys to victory in this game, predict what we think will move the needle for this divisional matchup, week six, crossover Thursday.

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It is time for us to tell the people exactly what we think will determine this game. We talked about the storylines on both sides, talked quarterbacks, talked defense. Now, looking at the keys to victory for the Colts. Obviously, the defense has struggled. There's injuries on the offensive side of the ball. What do you think the Colts need to do in this game to come out with a victory on the road?

I'll be honest with you, man. Just maybe get a stop on defense. Just give me one or two, maybe, and I'd be pretty happy. Give me a couple turnovers, maybe. But being all serious, it really comes down to what are we getting from the Colts' defense? Because I feel confident enough in the offense. Now, again, Downs and Pittman and Taylor are all banged up. So we'll see if they don't go, then it might be a completely different story.

But I feel confident enough in the Colts offense, regardless of who's playing at quarterback, whatever, just because Shane Steichen's that good and the coaching staff on that side of the ball is that good. I feel confident they can get, you know, around 20 points or so or get you enough points where you should have a chance at winning the football game. I don't know if this defense can limit the other team enough to win the game. Like we just saw Joe Flacco had the best game of his near 20 year NFL career. And what was the result?

A loss in Jacksonville to an 0-14 right like yeah and tank bigsby having whatever he wanted in the fourth quarter trevor lawrence having anything he wanted i mean second and 24 backed up though a 60 yard pass over the top of your defense like i don't know if they could even stop the local college team near me it's james madison dukes like i don't know if they could stop james madison dukes from scoring i I saw JMU put up 70 earlier this year, so they might not be able to stop JMU. But like, it really comes down to what are we getting from this Colts defense? If we're like, I don't even care if we have some coverage bus, as long as the fundamentals are better and they're actually making their tackles and stopping things underneath from

turning two yard gains into 10 yard gains, that's fine. Or the inverse, like if you can sit over the top and allow no explosives and just make and stopping things underneath from turning two yard gains into 10 yard gains, that's fine. Or the inverse, like if you can sit over the top and allow no explosives and just make Will Levis have to go 15 plays on you every single drive, sure, eventually he's going to dive to the ground and throw a 360 shot into the end zone. Like, you know, like that's fine. Like, but it can't be every single thing. It can't be explosives, missing tackles, can't stop the run, and can't stop the pass. Like, you can't win football games that way. I know it's very self-explanatory,

so really the biggest key is can this defense do anything right in this game? Because that is really what we're coming off of in this Jacksonville game, where they did not do a single thing correct. Like, they had two turnovers, I guess. Woo-hoo. Like, great job on those two. But outside of that, they did nothing rightovers, I guess. Woohoo. Like great job on those two. But outside

of that, they did nothing right in this past game. So can they do anything right? And then on offense, can they overcome the injuries? You know, offensive line injuries, quarterback injury, running back injury, now wide receiver injuries popping up. That's really the biggest key is like, if those guys miss, can they overcome that and get enough? But I feel more comfortable in that. I feel more confident in that. I feel more confident in Ashton Doolin doing something at wide receiver and Tanner Bortolini at center than I do on the the 10 million dollar guys they have on defense doing anything you know so it really comes down to this Colts defense it doesn't matter which offense it is like I don't care all your comments will be like now Will Levis and Mason Rudolph they you know they've been

struggling it doesn't matter Justin Fields threw over 300 against his defense. Caleb Williams over 300. Trevor Lawrence nearly 400 this past week. It doesn't matter who you are. They will give you your 300 yards if you can take advantage of it. So what kind of defense are we getting from the Colts this week? If they can at least be adequate, I think the Colts can get a win. That's really the biggest key to this game. You know what? I think part of the problem is, and obviously you would know, but Gus Bradley's scheme is not super disguised. It's not super complex. He does what he does.

He runs what he runs. And we're going to make it simple on guys. And when you have the personnel issues that they're having right now on defense, you can't play that way. You have to win with coaching, not win with talent when you have a lack of talent. So for me, it's like the taking advantage of that. The Titans need to attack downfield. That's what Will Levis, all these quick timing, short passes that Brian Callahan wants to run and make the system. I hear you. I get it. But the Colts are banged up and they're not going to

have their full form pass rush and their best version of the get it. But the Colts are banged up, and they're not going to have their full-form pass rush and their best version of the defensive line, so the Titans' offensive line should be able to be better. Attack down the field. Make this fifth string, sixth string cornerbacks. You know, the safeties have actually been pretty solid for the Colts, it seems like. Nick Cross has been good in the run, it seems like.

But, like, the outside corners are an abomination. It's probably the worst group in the NFL right now. Attack them. Maybe you don't complete every pass, but maybe you get a DPI. Maybe Calvin Ridley makes a Houdini-like catch like he made against the Jets. Attack down the field on early downs. Attack, attack. Let Levis throw it deep.

That's where he's most comfortable is just on corking deep passes. And you're right. The Titans can't go 15 plays, death by 1,000 paper cuts. They can't play that way. Levis is going to make mistakes, or they're just not going to have the down-to-down efficiency that you have to have to operate that way. You've got to hit big explosive plays.

I would attack down the field often and early. And on the defensive side of the ball, to me, it's not allowing explosive plays in the pass game. The Titans' middle-of-the-field coverage with Kenneth Murray. Oh, my lanta, Kenneth Murray. But no shock, he's been one of the worst coverage linebackers in the NFL his entire career. So, of course, he is now.

Ernest Jones is a better linebacker, but he's still not great in coverage. He's a blitzing linebacker. That's what they both are, which means going downhill, not backwards to playing coverage. So I worry about Josh Downs over the middle of the field. If I'm the Titans, I'm playing man coverage. I'm playing man.

I'm playing cover one all day. I'm going to have a Monty Hooker drop down over the middle of the field as the hook defender, as the intermediate zone. I'm going to have Quandre Diggs back deep, and I'm going to say we're not letting Josh Downs go against a linebacker. We're not letting Alec Pierce have a one-on-one down the sideline and cover four. Like, I'm not doing that.

I'm going to have a safety back deep, and I'm going to play Josh Downs with Roger McCreary in man. I'm not letting the Colts find these disadvantages and hit these big plays. Like, I'm playing man with safety help. Let LeJarrius Sneed take Michael Pitt. Michael Pittman isn't going to burn you deep. That's like not his game.

So put Sneed on Pittman. Or, I mean, put JBJ, Titans rookie cornerback, Jarvis Brownlee Jr. from Louisville. Put him on Michael Pittman and let LeJarrius Sneed take Pierce to try to take away those deep shots because Pierce has been so good this year. And then you put Roger McCreary, who's a really solid slot corner, one-on-one against Josh Downs. Let the safety help on the intermediate crossers with Josh Downs and let the deep safety Quandre Diggs help with the Alex Pierce deep shots. And then we rock with that.

I'm playing man coverage all day long and seeing what happens, regardless of who the quarterback is, because we could see, whether it be Flacco or Richardson, they're going to be able to throw deep. So take deep shots of your own. Limit the explosive plays with man coverage, with zone help on the two guys you've got to help on. And ultimately, I'm going to keep making it my third key to victory

for the Titans until they can prove that they don't do it. Stop making the stupid mistake, Will. Just stop. I mean, all four games, a stupid mistake. If he keeps doing that, they're not going to win. This isn't the JV Dolphins. Yeah. One thing I will say really quick before we get out of here is

I love that you mentioned the linebacker play for the Titans there, especially in coverage. The one thing Shane Steichen is really good at is exploiting bad linebacker coverage. Like, the Colts' best passing games this year, you know, against the Pittsburgh Steelers. They went after those two linebackers that were just not up to snuff in coverage. They went after Ventrell Miller a lot last week with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Back in week one, though, against the Houston Texans, the offense wasn't very efficient. Aziz Alshier who oh my gosh

he has been a stud this year I know I might be hurting some of you guys but I watched the film of that game and a couple other games from him he might be the second best linebacker in football behind Fred Warner like for my money like he is so good he is so so good so like when you have a guy who can play like that in the middle of the field against this Colts defense it takes away a lot of their passing stuff because they love to get downs on those linebackers they love to exploit with high lows with tight ends and downs and you know meshes and crosses and stuff like that so it's going to test your linebackers a lot so I your plan honestly have a lot of man coverage now again it might leave guys on an island with a player like Pierce who can stack and run with

the best of them but it might be a better alternative than having downs catch 10 passes for 80 yards and convert every single third down for a first down. I'll put the game on our corners. If our corners get beat all game and that's how we lose, then all right. But I'm not putting the fate of the game in the hands of our linebackers and pass coverage. I'm just not doing that. But with that being said, this should be a really, really fun game to watch.

I think it's going to be high scoring, in my opinion, because I think both teams have good answers for what's going to happen. But we're going to watch it. Make sure that you check out the full game preview, Locked on Colts, Locked on Titans. That'll be coming tomorrow. It's the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. Thanks for tuning in to Crossover Thursday.